


Been Wondering If Your Heart's Still Open

by smittenbritain



Series: Special Requests [3]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Blow Jobs, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Restraints, Slow Burn, Trans Male Character, Vibrators
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:14:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21937285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenbritain/pseuds/smittenbritain
Summary: Jeremy knew exactly three things.1: He was absolutely head over heels for a certain Mr. Diaz.2: Alfredo had no idea that Jeremy liked him.3: Everyone else in the office was, thankfully, as oblivious as Alfredo.
Relationships: Alfredo Diaz/Jeremy Dooley
Series: Special Requests [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1399234
Comments: 12
Kudos: 118





	Been Wondering If Your Heart's Still Open

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bostonchungschwa](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bostonchungschwa/gifts).



> This fic was a special request for [ryanthepowerbottomguy](https://ryanthepowerbottomguy.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> The title comes from 'Do I Wanna Know?' by the Arctic Monkeys.

Jeremy knew exactly three things.

1: He was absolutely head over heels for a certain Mr. Diaz.

2: Alfredo had no idea that Jeremy liked him.

3: Everyone else in the office was, thankfully, as oblivious as Alfredo.

* * *

Well, except one person.

It was, admittedly, a little bit humiliating to have Michael call him out so bluntly over his crush, but then again, that was just how Michael rolled. Gentle, but pointed when it mattered - or, more accurately, when Jeremy needed his head pulling out of his ass (which was, to be fair, pretty often). He hadn’t expected it from Michael when they’d first met, and then Michael had been the first choice for a shoulder to cry on when these feelings had first reared their head.

Tonight, some weeks after that embarrassing event, Michael had invited Jeremy over under the pretence of an evening of video games. 

It was simple enough, really, and had seemed legit at first; Michael had pulled him in for a hug full of back slapping and laughing, and offered him a beer when Jeremy took a seat. There was indeed a game out ready for them to play - Michael’s N64 sat in front of his TV, idling on a menu of _Mario Party_ \- and when he asked, Michael told him Gavin and Matt were due over soon to make it up to four players. With the weekend ahead of them, a good old fifty turn round sounded like a fun evening, especially when Michael was always happy to let them crash at his place if they needed.

And then when half an hour passed with idle chatting, Jeremy realised that Gavin and Matt wouldn’t be arriving anytime soon. He doubted Michael would trick him so thoroughly to lie about that _completely_ , but he admittedly hadn’t specified a time. Odds were, they weren’t supposed to show up for a little while, and that was completely by design.

Ah. Fuck.

“So,” Michael said, casually toying with the label on his beer. “Alfredo.”

Jeremy closed his eyes. It was time to brace himself. “Alfredo?”

“Alfredo,” Michael confirmed.

He sighed. “What about him?”

“Oh, you know. Just the fact that you keep fucking pining after him.”

Jeremy opened his eyes, and he winced. “C’mon, man. It’s just a… a workplace crush. I’m not _pining_ after the guy.”

Michael raised a single eyebrow. “Dude, have you seen yourself? You’re pining. It’d be cute if you two weren’t doing it in every single game and every fucking video-”

“Wait, _two_?”

“Uh, yeah, two.” Michael blinked at him. “You’re both doing it, Jeremy. Are you seriously telling me you haven’t noticed?”

Jeremy could only stare at him - no, he hadn’t noticed, because he’d been so wrapped up in his own thoughts and feelings. Despite what he’d told Michael, this wasn’t just a workplace crush; this one had hit him like a truck, and left him reeling whenever Alfredo laughed at his jokes, or teamed up with him in videos, or gave him one of those silly, cheerful waves when he arrived at work. It had had a vice grip on Jeremy for longer than he’d like to admit. 

Michael, however, took his silence as agreement. “Jesus,” he breathed, shaking his head and smiling. “Dude, come on. Alfredo _fawns_ over you.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Jeremy said, stubbornly. “He doesn’t- he doesn’t fawn over me, he’s just fucking around for the camera. He’s being friendly. Funny.”

“He’s fucking useless at flirting, so he’s just nicer than usual,” Michael corrected. “Jeremy, buddy. You’ve gotta make a move on him.”

Jeremy just sunk down in his armchair, and he decided not to meet Michael’s gaze. “Yeah, and what if he says no? What if you’re wrong, and it’s not mutual? I’m fucked then, the office isn’t gonna feel the same.” Not to mention, Jeremy loved their friendship, too - he didn’t want to risk that on the slight chance that Alfredo wanted the same thing.

Michael rolled his eyes. “You’re not gonna fuck anything up. I’m telling you, just… be a little more observant. You’ll see.”

Before Jeremy had the chance to reply, Michael’s door burst open, and Gavin tumbled in, dragging Matt behind him. “Michael!” he crowed, and Michael bounced up to meet them, neatly leaving the conversation behind. Jeremy was both glad and frustrated - glad to slide out from under the microscope, but frustrated because Michael had just ripped the bandaid off and left him without another to replace it. 

* * *

Despite that, Jeremy did try to take Michael’s advice: he opened his eyes, and he watched.

When Alfredo greeted him on Monday morning, it was different to how he greeted everyone else. Jeremy trooped in after Michael and Gavin, and he heard Alfredo act casual, like he’d simply called to them over his monitor. When Jeremy followed and made eye contact, however, Alfredo beamed at him, bright and wide; it was enough to make Jeremy’s heart jump in his chest.

“Hey, Jeremy!”

“Hey, Alfredo!” he called back, waving just as enthusiastically. He took a seat at his desk, and he caught Michael staring at him, both eyebrows raised. Jeremy decided to simply flip him off and turn towards his monitor, determined to get set up for the day.

The second incident came when they decided to go out for lunch. Geoff had decided on a favourite haunt of theirs, a place that did fantastic barbecue, and when they took their seats at the table, Alfredo helped himself to a seat next to Jeremy when there were plenty of other empty ones left. He made himself at home there, smiling at Jeremy as he settled in like he belonged there.

Jeremy almost dismissed it - Alfredo always sat next to him, this wasn’t anything new - but then he remembered Michael’s advice. He thought about it.

Alfredo _did_ always sit next to him, yes, but it had only started recently: a few months ago, to be exact. There had been a conscious change where Alfredo had stopped only _occasionally_ taking the seat next to Jeremy, and started _always_ taking it. He knew that Alfredo didn’t have a problem with anyone in the office, so it must be the opposite - that he preferred Jeremy’s company.

Huh. Jeremy had never thought about it that way before.

Maybe Michael was right.

Only maybe. One thing didn’t mean anything.

* * *

Two still wasn’t quite enough for Jeremy. He would have brushed off three, but then he’d only end up in the same cycle as before, as if he’d never talked to Michael. In a way, Jeremy almost wished Michael hadn’t actually taken it upon himself in the first place, because now here he was, sat at his desk, analysing every little thing and how it made his heart flutter with hope.

It was fucking annoying, but at the same time, Jeremy relished the way his stomach flipped. Having a crush was thrilling, whether he liked being in limbo or not.

The second incident was Alfredo bringing him drinks and snacks. He hadn’t offered, not to Jeremy or to the rest of the room; he just showed up with them whenever he took a break to grab a diet coke. He always plopped a drink down on Jeremy’s desk as he passed by, smiling when he caught Jeremy’s eye. It was fleeting, kept only to when Alfredo wanted a drink anyway, but frequent enough that Jeremy had picked up on it. 

This time, when Alfredo vanished back to his desk again, Jeremy felt a pair of eyes on him. He looked to his right, and sure enough, Michael had turned his chair to face him, and he sat there, grinning at Jeremy. Rolling his eyes, Jeremy lightly kicked the wheel of Michael’s chair.

“Fuck off, Michael,” he muttered.

Michael just snickered and went back to minding his own business.

The third thing didn’t even really feel like a third, because it was simply everyday life - it was made up of smaller things that just kept adding up on top of the other two. Their first choice for a team in videos was, naturally, the Battle Buddies; they caused mischief together throughout the office where they could; Alfredo dared Jeremy to do or eat things when they came up in the office’s downtime, and Jeremy did it in a heartbeat. Every time, they shared these private little smiles that made something in Jeremy’s chest vibrate, and Jeremy began to wonder if he was seeing something more in those moments. 

They were the sort of moments that Jeremy thought about when he went home to his empty apartment after work. They stuck with him when he ate his lonely dinner, with only the TV and his cat for company. Jeremy didn’t mind it so much, but it always stung a little bit when he thought of how nice it would be to share this quiet with someone. 

Well, someone who wasn’t tucked into his side and purring, anyway. 

* * *

Michael wasn’t wrong about Alfredo.

Neither was Jeremy.

Where Jeremy lagged behind, agonising over whether it was mutual or if he was just seeing things, Alfredo had a plan, just like he did any other time. There was no guarantee that he’d be smooth pulling it off - he was good at making plans, never great at executing them; even when it was going well, he was bound to trip over his words - but Alfredo was going to ask Jeremy out, damn it, and screw any flubbing he did along the way.

The thing was, he’d been trying to work up the courage to - or, at bare minimum, to get an idea of Jeremy’s feelings. All of his little gestures had been met with his signature wide smile, so Alfredo had almost put it down to him simply being a friendly guy, but then there were these softer moments, just between them, that made Alfredo's heart beat faster. There was something there, he was sure of it, and he wanted to at least put himself out there. There was no harm in that, right?

He just had to find the right moment.

And, well, he also needed to tell Jeremy that he was trans, but that was a whole other thing to address after a date or two. He wasn’t concerned about that so much; Jeremy was a decent guy, and he didn’t think it would be a friendship ending thing. 

Aside from that, then, Alfredo just needed to find the right moment. It was only ten little words: _“Do you want to go on a date with me?”_

Well, it’d probably be more like fifteen once Alfredo was done messing up his words. Same difference. It’d get the message across eventually.

The chance presented itself at the end of a Friday. Most of the rest of Achievement Hunter had already packed up and left, or they were on their way out. Across the room, Alfredo heard Jeremy laugh at something Michael said as he waved him goodbye, and a familiar warmth spread through his chest at the sound. It drew his attention up, away from where he was gathering his things, and he realised all of a sudden that they were quite alone.

This was it. A good opportunity, and an easy out of it was a rejection; they’d have time to work on ignoring it ever happened over the weekend.

Even then, it took Alfredo a moment to find his voice, long enough that Jeremy had slung his backpack over his shoulder. Alfredo rounded the desks and cleared his throat, and nerves swelled up in his chest before he even knew what was happening.

Shit. Well, it was now or never.

“Hey, Jeremy,” he said, wincing when his voice cracked already.

But Jeremy didn’t tease or poke about it. He simply turned on his heel to face Alfredo, a smile already tugging at the corners of his lips. “Hey, Alfredo. What’s up?”

“I, uh…” Alfredo paused to rub the back of his neck. Predictably, he was two words in and no closer to figuring out how to ask it. All of the thinking about the simple question was out of the window. “I was wondering, would you…”

As he stumbled on, he watched as Jeremy’s smile first started to widen, and then he seemed to restrain it, waiting patiently for Alfredo to finish. He paused to take a breath and then, encouraged by Jeremy’s gentle look, he continued.

“Do you want to go on a date?”

Jeremy beamed at him. There was a little bit of pink in his cheeks now, and a short laugh tumbled out of him. “Absolutely, I do,” he said. “Fuck, are you serious? I’ve been trying to figure this out how to ask that for weeks, man.”

“Really?” Alfredo blinked at him, genuinely surprised. “I… didn’t know you were trying to make a move.”

“Well, more like just trying to figure out how you felt.” Jeremy shrugged sheepishly. “I hadn’t really made it to the, uh, asking you out hurdle just yet.”

They both laughed, sort of breathlessly giggling over it together. Alfredo felt as high as a kite right now, like nothing could bring him down from how giddy he was feeling - Jeremy had said _yes_. He had no idea what kind of date they were going to do just yet, but just knowing that there would be one was enough for Alfredo right now, and judging by Jeremy’s bright grin, it was plenty for him, too. 

“Do you, uh…” Alfredo stumbled again, though this time was from surprise rather than nervousness. “When do you wanna do it? When are you free?”

“For a date with you? Whenever.”

Alfredo chuckled, and he shook his head. “I mean, the feeling is very mutual, but I’m gonna need more to go on than that, Jeremy.”

“Okay, okay,” he laughed. “How about… Saturday? Do you wanna do dinner and a movie?”

“Sounds perfect.”

Alfredo hadn’t noticed that they’d drawn closer to each other as the conversation wore on, but by now they were close enough to touch. Sure enough, Jeremy reached out to take his hand and squeeze it, as if to seal the deal. “See you tomorrow, then,” he said, letting go and stepping back towards the door.

“See you tomorrow,” Alfredo agreed. He raised his hand in farewell as Jeremy ducked out, still smiling, and once Jeremy was out of sight, Alfredo allowed himself to finally break out into a too big smile as he mentally patted himself on the back.

And there it was. It had gone far better than he’d expected, and he could only hope that that would carry forwards. 

Now he just needed to get a date or two in, and then he could tell Jeremy. He didn’t think he could handle another nerve-wracking ordeal just yet, not right away, even though he knew that Jeremy would be fine with it. Having some time to enjoy things first, though, to actually have time with Jeremy… well, Alfredo wanted to see how things worked out before he said anything. 

He wasn’t trying to keep anything a secret on purpose, not by a long shot, but Alfredo didn’t want to just hand out private information like that. It was simply safer to try things out first before he said anything.

* * *

The date was perfect. It wasn’t anything serious - Alfredo hadn’t expected to sit down and have a serious conversation with Jeremy, not by a long shot - and that was just how he wanted it. There was no need for anything formal when they already knew each other well enough. 

Their dinner was a simple but delicious affair. They splurged just a little since it was their first date, choosing to get a nice steak, and then they ended up grabbing snacks when they got to the cinema anyway. Giggling like teenagers, they made their way to their seats, where they tucked themselves in to get ready for the movie. It had been a long time since Alfredo had felt like this, almost childish with the way he and Jeremy kept sharing private smiles and jokes. 

Before the film was over, Jeremy’s hand found Alfredo's, and they stayed linked on the arm between their chairs.

* * *

Alfredo drove Jeremy back to his place after, though he was sure that neither of them wanted the evening to end. Once parked outside his apartment building, Jeremy didn’t move to get out of the car right away, instead fidgeting with a crease in his jeans. Alfredo didn’t press him; selfishly, he wanted more time with Jeremy too, and he wasn’t about to hurry him out of the car.

“Thanks for tonight,” Jeremy said, shooting him a smile. “That was easily the best date I’ve been on in years.”

“Same,” Alfredo agreed. “You’re, well, really good company, so I knew it’d be a good time anyway.”

Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Aw, come on, Alfredo, that was too sweet.” 

“Well, we _are_ still on a date.” He raised an eyebrow. “I sure hope I’m being sweet, I’d like to take you on another one.”

Jeremy ducked his head with a laugh, and Alfredo chuckled along with him. He knew it had been bold of him to lay it out so simply like that, but when Jeremy looked up again, he was smiling, so Alfredo knew he hadn’t overstepped any lines.

If anything, it made his heart skip a beat. 

“I’d like another one, too,” Jeremy admitted, nodding. His smile still lingered, and Alfredo’s butterflies did as well. He doubted that they were going away anytime soon. “So… next weekend? You wanna come over this time? I can cook for us. It won’t be anything as fancy as the dinner we had tonight, but…”

“Next Saturday?” Alfredo asked.

Jeremy grinned at him. “Next Saturday.”

Jeremy reached out for him before he left, just like he had in the office. Instead, this time, he leaned in, and he pecked Alfredo's cheek before he climbed out of the car. Even in the dim light of the streetlamps, Jeremy’s face seemed red, but Alfredo simply decided not to call him out for it, not when he could feel his own cheeks tingling, too. 

“See you at work,” Jeremy added, raising a hand to wave to him,

Alfredo blinked a couple of times, and then smiled. “See you at work, Jeremy. Have a good night.”

“You, too.”

Jeremy closed the passenger door then, but he stood by to watch as Alfredo pulled away. It was tempting to take it slow and watch Jeremy in his rearview mirror, and Alfredo entertained the idea for just a moment before he continued on home. The trip seemed like it took almost no time at all with the way he was carried along by his good mood, and it stayed with him even when he settled into bed that night. 

For once, the weekend couldn’t be over sooner.

* * *

On Monday, it was difficult not to simply rush to meet Alfredo when he arrived at work. Jeremy kept himself glued to his chair, though, conscious of the weight of Michael’s gaze on him. Despite that, he couldn’t help the way he lit up when Alfredo entered the room; when he looked up to greet him, Jeremy felt a spark just from the eye contact alone, and he had to quickly compose himself before he let too much show. 

He didn’t want anyone else to know what was going on between them yet. 

He also didn’t want to see Michael’s smug fucking smile, or hear his _I told you._

A simple “Hey, Alfredo” would have to suffice. It didn’t cover nearly enough of the excitement Jeremy felt just at simply seeing him again, but it was close enough for now. He just had to wait until Saturday.

Shit. He had so much planning to do before Saturday. He hadn’t even started to think about that.

“Morning, Jeremy,” Alfredo said, patting him on the shoulder as he passed. 

Michael shot Jeremy a look once Alfredo was out of sight, and Jeremy silently flipped him off. “Good weekend, guys?” Jeremy said instead, shifting to address the room at large.

“Yeah, relaxed,” Michael said. He settled back in his chair, arms folded behind his head as he observed Jeremy. There was no way that he knew already, Jeremy was sure of it - unless he was just being an asshole and trying to make him squirm on purpose. “What about you?”

“Good,” Jeremy replied. Short and sweet, perfect. Michael couldn’t get anything out of that.

Michael raised an eyebrow. “Alfredo? How about yours?”

“Hm?” Alfredo poked his head up over his monitor, glancing between Michael and Jeremy.

“Did you have a good weekend?” Michael repeated.

“Oh!” His gaze lingered on Jeremy for just a beat too long, almost like he was waiting for Jeremy to speak up, before it shifted away again. “Yeah. Didn’t do much, just the usual sitting around and playing games, you know. That and chores.”

“Mm,” Michael hummed, thoughtful. “Got any plans next weekend?” 

Alfredo linked his fingers together under his chin, propping himself up on his elbows. “Saturday, yeah. Why?”

“Just curious.” Shrugging, Michael sat up, and he scooted his chair closer to his desk again. “Was thinking about a game night of some kind, was just trying to figure out when everyone was free.”

Jeremy wasn’t entirely sure if that offer was innocent, given the last time he’d gone to Michael’s for a game night. If he was trying to invite both him and Alfredo, he wouldn’t be surprised if that was a ploy to try and get them together already. Jeremy bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a snicker; little did Michael know, Alfredo had already beaten him to it. He didn’t need to prod at Jeremy anymore - not that they had needed it in the first place anyway, apparently.

“What’re you laughing at?”

He looked to his right to find Michael already watching. 

“Nothing,” he said, turning back to his computer. “Don’t worry about it.”

A moment passed, and then he heard the sound of an Xbox turn on, and then a clicking keyboard start up next to him. He’d successfully dodged a bullet for now, and while Michael wasn’t the type to pry, Jeremy wasn’t sure how long they could get away with keeping their dates secret.

* * *

The week seemed to drag, even though it was busy. All he could think about was the date on Saturday, and what he wanted to make for Alfredo. He didn’t want it to be anything complicated, but he _did_ want to make a good impression, and that required some planning. He hadn’t decided on anything just yet.

But when Saturday came and Alfredo arrived on his doorstep, Jeremy had everything lined up and ready to go. Dinner was almost ready, and Jeremy had drinks already set out on the coffee table. As much as he’d liked going out with Alfredo, the thought of an evening in with him - and countless more evenings in to follow - was even more appealing. Jeremy could talk forever, but he liked his peace and quiet too, especially when he had good company.

He did have to hold the cat back, though, when Alfredo arrived. She was fluffy, white, and curious as hell, almost leaning out of his arms to sniff at the new arrival; her purrs chirped weirdly in her throat as she nosed at Alfredo’s fingers. 

“I didn’t know you had a cat,” Alfredo said, chuckling as he scratched under her chin.

“This is Moxxi - you know, like in _Borderlands_? She’s an attention hog,” Jeremy replied. He bumped the door shut with his foot so he could safely set her down again, but all she did was wind around Alfredo’s ankles. “Be careful, she’ll flirt with you to get scraps of your dinner.”

Alfredo bumped their shoulders together fondly. “And you won’t? I seem to remember you stealing fries from my plate last week.”

“I never said I didn’t,” Jeremy said, laughing. He took Alfredo by the hand to tug him further into his apartment, leading him towards the couch. “I guess she had to learn somewhere. Here, I’ve got a diet coke out for you, let me know if you’d like to have anything else with dinner.”

“Oh! Thanks.” Alfredo sounded pleasantly surprised. “That’s sweet of you, Jeremy.”

“Nah, just being a good host.” Jeremy squeezed his hand before he let go. “Make yourself comfortable, I’ll go get dinner ready. You wanna find us something good to watch?”

Alfredo sunk down onto the couch, and the cat immediately took up residence on his lap. Jeremy idly thought that he could get used to the sight; it was a good one, a comforting one. “Sure,” Alfredo said, helping himself to the TV remote, “I’ll see what I can find.”

By the time Jeremy came back through with two heaping plates of spaghetti and homemade sauce, Alfredo had settled back into the couch with Moxxi. She was purring contentedly as Alfredo stroked her, though she lifted her head when Jeremy came through into the living room. He saw her sniff at the air, curious.

Amusingly enough, Alfredo did the same, turning to take a deep breath. “Oh, that smells delicious,” he said. As he spoke, Moxxi climbed up onto the arm of the couch, and she blinked sweetly at him, as if she could convince him for one small bite.

“No,” Jeremy said, shaking his head at her. He rounded the couch to sit down next to Alfredo, passing him his plate as he went. “This is for Alfredo, not you. You’ll get yours later.”

Naturally, she ignored him, and simply decided to stretch across the back of the couch - out of reach of their food, but still close enough that they would think about her. Alfredo laughed as he took up his cutlery, and Jeremy couldn’t help smiling, too; Alfredo's laugh just did that to him. 

“You two are quite the pair,” he said. “I don’t wanna come between you.”

“Nah, it’s fine. Ignore her, she’s a drama queen.” Jeremy reached back to fondly pat her flank. She chirruped in response. “How’s the food?”

“I’m getting there. It smells amazing, though, Jeremy.” Alfredo swirled his fork amongst his spaghetti, collecting a healthy portion for his first bite. Rather than have his own yet, Jeremy sat and waited, watching with baited breath to see how Alfredo liked his cooking. 

The noise Alfredo made was borderline pornographic. Jeremy was glad he’d decided to let Alfredo eat first, or he might have choked at the sound.

“Oh, this is incredible,” Alfredo moaned, diving in for a second forkful. “Holy shit. I knew you liked cooking, but this is _so_ good.”

Jeremy could feel his face burning. He just hoped that Alfredo was too busy with his dinner to notice how quickly Jeremy ducked his head to start tucking into his own. Christ, he didn’t even know what was on TV - he’d forgotten to ask, and now he was just trying to ignore how immediately Alfredo's moan had hit him in the dick.

“Thanks,” he mumbled around his own mouthful of pasta. “I’m glad, I’ve been working on that sauce all afternoon.”

“You made this?” Alfredo raised his eyebrows, incredulous. “That’s even better. I just use a premade one, I don’t have the patience to sit and make it for myself.”

Jeremy shrugged a shoulder. “I just like cooking,” he said simply. “It’s fun, especially when I’ve got someone to share it with. Cooking _for_ someone is even better.”

“Well, I’ll gladly come over anytime to eat your cooking.” Alfredo hummed as he dug in again; he’d already made it halfway through his dinner, to Jeremy’s amazement, but then he supposed that maybe he shouldn’t be so surprised. This was Alfredo, after all, who was capable of eating plenty whenever there was something edible on offer. 

The rest of their meal passed in companionable silence, with more focus on the movie and some idle chatter than a full conversation. It was comfortable, and something warm settled in Jeremy’s chest as they set their plates aside and leaned into each other on the couch. He fit in so easily against Alfredo's side, slotting into place like he was meant to be there. Jeremy could have dozed against his shoulder if he really wanted to, but he was determined to stay awake and enjoy every moment of this. 

As the credits rolled, though, it was starting to get late. Jeremy didn’t want to prompt Alfredo to go home - far from it, he wanted him to stay as long as possible - but he knew that Alfredo needed to drive. Reluctantly, he sat up and stretched, and he felt Alfredo do the same.

“I should probably get going,” Alfredo sighed. 

Jeremy almost asked him to stay the night - almost. It was an impulsive question that he caught before it got even close to his lips; he was sure about Alfredo, and he really liked where things were going with their relationship. But before they could take things further, he needed to talk to him, explain some things.

Now didn’t feel like the right time to have a serious conversation, though. 

“Can we do this again sooner than next weekend?” he asked instead, once they were by the door. Moxxi stayed by the couch, watching longingly as Alfredo prepared to leave; Jeremy felt the same. “Waiting a week took forever, man.”

Alfredo laughed. “I know, I felt the same. Wanna meet up during the week?”

“Fuck yeah, I do.” Jeremy beamed at him. “Just say when and I’ll make time for you.”

“That’s a dangerous power Jeremy,” Alfredo said, waggling his eyebrows at him playfully. “Thank you for tonight, though. And for dinner.”

“I like cooking, and you like food. I’ll cook for you anytime.”

“Then I’ll take that as an open invitation.” 

“Maybe it _is_ an open invitation.”

Humour sparkled in Alfredo's eyes, and Jeremy’s cheeks ached from how hard he was smiling. They had always had this back and forth, even when they were just friends. It was one of the many, many things Jeremy loved about hanging around with Alfredo, and he was glad to see that it was still a key factor even though things were a little more romantic now. They weren’t losing anything by dating - they were just adding another layer to their general relationship, another facet that they could enjoy together.

For a moment, Jeremy thought that Alfredo was going to kiss him. He wanted him to, desperately so, but he was also worried about anything more before they could talk. 

The moment passed, and Alfredo pecked his cheek instead. “Goodnight, Jeremy.”

“Night, Alfredo,” he replied, squeezing his hand. 

The door closed with a quiet click, and Jeremy slumped against the wall. His heart ached, filled up as it was with want and just a little bit of anxiety. 

He needed to talk to him. He had to get this off his chest first, before things went too much further.

* * *

Their midweek plan ended up being the perfect chance for both of them. While the rest of AH ordered in for lunch, Alfredo took Jeremy aside and suggested going out together, just the two of them. Jeremy agreed, and they managed to slip out unnoticed as the vultures descended on their orders. Usually, the two of them would be the first at the table, but for now, their thoughts were elsewhere, wondering how to bring up the same conversation.

Rather than go out for proper food, they settled on grabbing hotdogs at a nearby park and going for a walk.

While public, it felt private too, in a way. Sitting on a quiet bench together, lost amongst the other passersby and the greenery, they could pretend that they were alone. They shared idle conversation at first, chattering back and forth about the day so far, and joking about how surprisingly relaxing it was to be away from the hustle and bustle of the hungry office. 

Once their hotdogs were done, though, there was nothing else to distract them, no other way around it. Jeremy didn’t want to dodge it anyway.

“Alfredo, can we talk?”

He felt Alfredo stiffen next to him, and then relax again a beat later. “Sure,” he said, his voice soft. His fingers brushed against the back of Jeremy’s hand where it rested on his knee. “Is everything okay?”

“No, yeah, everything’s fantastic.” Jeremy laughed breathlessly. He turned his hand over to link his fingers with Alfredo’s, and continued to speak quietly; even though this felt like their own little corner of the world, Jeremy still didn’t exactly want to cry out this information into the world. “It’s fucking amazing, Alfredo. I… just wanted to talk to you about something before, you know, we get any further. Because, fuck, man, I want to, but-”

Alfredo squeezed his hand, and Jeremy fell silent. “It’s okay,” he assured him. “Whatever you wanna say, go for it. It’s okay.”

Jeremy took a deep, slow breath, using it to steady himself and soothe the thread of anxiety trying to wind up in his chest. It went away on his exhale, lost in the day’s breeze. “This is something I… don’t exactly want floating around,” he said, waving his free hand vaguely, “so it needs to stay between us, okay? Not out of like, shame or anything, it’s just… private.”

“Of course.”

He looked up at Alfredo, just to try and read his expression. Oddly enough, Alfredo looked expectant, almost like he had an idea of what was about to happen - but how could he? Jeremy hadn’t told anyone, there had been no reason to. It was nobody’s business but his.

But he wanted Alfredo to know. He trusted him. 

“I’m trans,” Jeremy said, still watching Alfredo's face. “And I wanted to tell you that before we carried on, in case, you know, that was a problem.”

Alfredo just blinked at him for a moment, and then broke out into a smile. “It’s not a problem,” he assured him, “not at all. I am, too.”

Jeremy stared at him. “Wait, what?”

A little giggle tumbled from Alfredo's lips, but he quickly stifled it again. “I’m trans too, Jeremy. I was about to tell you the same thing.”

Any lingering worry leeched out of Jeremy, dissipating in the face of bubbling amusement. “Oh,” he said. “I…”

“Had no idea? Yeah, me neither.” Alfredo bumped their shoulders together fondly, grinning. “So, I take it you just wanted to give me a heads up?”

“Basically,” Jeremy admitted, puffing out a quiet laugh. “Rather than get too far in and find out you weren’t comfortable, I figured see how we fit first, then let you know if we kept going. It made sense at the time.”

Alfredo shrugged a shoulder. “It was my plan, too.” 

Jeremy shook his head. “Man, I didn’t expect this at all. It’s kinda comforting, though.” He smiled up at Alfredo. “Means you just _get_ it.”

“It’s nice,” Alfredo agreed. He wiggled his fingers between Jeremy’s, idly playing with them. It was relaxing, in an odd sort of way; it felt like familiar intimacy, like Alfredo had done it a thousand times and would do it a thousand more. 

After a beat had passed, Alfredo gently squeezed Jeremy’s palm, and he spoke up again. “So… full steam ahead on dating, then?” He sounded almost shy, for once, but when Jeremy looked up from their tangled fingers, he found that Alfredo was already watching him, quietly hopeful.

Jeremy broke out into a grin. “Absolutely - if you want to, I mean.”

“Of course I do,” Alfredo laughed. He inclined his head towards Jeremy’s, and then stopped, flustered. “I… Can I kiss you?”

Rather than answer with words, Jeremy simply closed the gap between them. 

* * *

Being with Jeremy was easy. They had always worked well as a team, and this turned out to be no different; they got on like a house on fire, and there was an added spark to their dynamic now that only made them more mischievous. More than once since they had quietly gotten together, Alfredo had felt Geoff’s despairing stare whenever they started up some chaos. Once, he’d even heard him mutter, “How did you two fuckers get _worse_ …?”

He wasn’t sure when to tell him that they were together, or how to. They would have to at some point, but… Alfredo liked the privacy right now.

Even if Michael did seem a _little_ too knowing sometimes.

Alfredo felt it in Michael’s game nights, especially when he invited the whole main office over. He could tell he was being watched like a hawk when he took a seat next to Jeremy, though they were both careful to keep things purely platonic here. It was easy to, anyway, considering their romantic relationship was founded on a strong friendship. If he was honest, it was even amusing to sneak around the subject. 

He could tell that Jeremy felt the same, judging by his barely silenced snickers here and there. They were infectious, and Alfredo had to stifle his own with another handful of snacks, even as he pressed A on his controller to team up with Jeremy again. He still felt that stare when they left together so Alfredo could give Jeremy a ride home.

He’d been at Jeremy’s since lunchtime and was also planning on staying the night, but nobody else needed to know that.

* * *

Tonight was far from their first time together, but it still felt as thrilling as that initial grinding on Jeremy’s couch. Then, Jeremy had climbed up onto Alfredo's lap and pressed him back into the couch cushions, and he’d left a trail of marks down Alfredo's collarbone that had, thankfully, been covered up by his shirt the following morning - not that that had made much difference when Jeremy added another row as soon as they were both awake. 

He had decided to refresh them now, while Alfredo was sprawled out on his bed, half naked. They were both undressed down to their underwear, their clothes tossed carelessly to the bedroom floor so they could get to as much bare skin as possible. Jeremy settled above Alfredo and took hold of his wrists to hold them down against the mattress, though, so all he could do was squirm and gasp as Jeremy left hickeys, even with him temptingly on display. Damn it.

It was hot, though. Alfredo liked the weight of Jeremy on top of him, the way he seemed to enjoy taking charge. 

Jeremy kissed his way back up Alfredo’s throat until he reached his jaw, and then he sealed their lips together in another kiss. His lips were red and damp, and Alfredo hummed against his mouth. He melted from the sheer desire, and without really thinking about it, rocked his hips up against Jeremy’s, desperate to alleviate the ache somehow, and when Jeremy pressed down against him in return, a moan spilled from Alfredo's lips before he could even try to stop it.

 _“Fuck,”_ Jeremy breathed, “you’re hot, Alfredo. Jesus.”

They lost themselves to a flurry of kissing again, though Jeremy’s hold on his wrists remained firm. Alfredo didn’t mind in the slightest; feeling the way Jeremy flexed to keep him there only made him more eager. 

And then he had a thought. 

“Mm, Jeremy?” he mumbled between kisses.

Jeremy pulled back just enough for them to talk. Their noses still bumped together where Jeremy had slotted his in alongside Alfredo's, ready to dive back in again at a moment’s notice; he could feel Jeremy’s warm breath against his cheek when he panted. “Everything okay?” he asked, eyes wide and concerned.

As Jeremy’s grip on him slackened, Alfredo used the opportunity to wiggle his hands free, just to take Jeremy’s shoulders and squeeze comfortingly. “Everything’s perfect,” he assured him, rubbing his thumbs in little circles. “I just… well, I’ve noticed you like holding me down-”

“I can stop,” Jeremy said immediately. His cheeks were pink - whether it was from arousal or embarrassment, Alfredo wasn’t sure - and he sat up a little, as if to give Alfredo space. 

Alfredo let his hands drop to Jeremy’s hips. They rested there instead, though they continued their soothing touches. “I’d rather you didn’t stop, actually,” Alfredo said casually, and he watched Jeremy’s eyebrows raise. “In fact, I was gonna ask if you wanted to tie me up instead.”

Jeremy stared at him in what seemed to be genuine surprise. “I mean… if you want to, I’d definitely be down for that.”

“Then go find something to tie me up with!” 

He nudged Jeremy, and he laughed along with Alfredo as he climbed down to search. “Alright, alright,” he chuckled, opening up his wardrobe. “I didn’t know you were into that. Might’ve suggested it sooner if I had, but I’m not exactly prepared. I hope I’m not being too predictable if I use an actual tie?”

“Not at all,” Alfredo said, stretching and then lounging back on the bed. “Listen, whatever works is fine by me.”

He heard the soft pad of Jeremy’s feet on the carpet as he approached the bed again, and then felt the dip of the mattress as he climbed back up. As Jeremy resumed his original position across Alfredo’s hips, Alfredo felt a blanket of heat settle over them again; there was a simmer in Jeremy’s eyes, one that dragged Alfredo back in with him. Jeremy held a dark blue tie, and he idly flipped it through his fingers as he considered their position.

“Put your hands back where they were?” Jeremy asked. Alfredo obediently raised them over his head again, crossed at the wrists; Jeremy swore under his breath, then leaned forwards to loop the tie around a gap in the headboard so he could secure Alfredo’s hands to it. It was tight, but not too tight - he’d left Alfredo plenty of wiggle room, and Alfredo felt a little bit of give to the knot. He was sure that it was on purpose, just in case Alfredo wanted to break free at any point, though he knew Jeremy would release him as soon as he asked anyway.

“How does that feel?” 

“Good,” Alfredo said, testing again. “I’m probably not gonna break out by accident.”

“Perfect.” Jeremy sat there for a moment, drumming his fingers on his knees. “Tell me if you want me to take it off, okay? We can go back to doing this without them anytime, or just stop completely if you want.”

Alfredo wished his hands were free just so he could reach out for Jeremy. Instead, he just wiggled his hips so Jeremy swayed from side to side above him. “Jeremy,” he said, smiling, “it’s okay. It’s just a tie, I’m good, I promise. I’m happy to continue if you are.”

“I’m _definitely_ happy to continue.” Leaning down, Jeremy caught Alfredo in a searing kiss; the tie was an immediate reminder, catching Alfredo when he went to embrace Jeremy. His grunt of surprise was swallowed up in the kiss, but he felt Jeremy smile anyway - clearly, he’d been waiting for the first tug.

“That’s gonna be annoying,” Alfredo muttered.

Jeremy laughed quietly. “That’s kinda the point.”

The mattress shifted again as Jeremy adjusted, and Alfredo felt goosebumps rise up across his arms as Jeremy’s fingers tickled across his shoulder. They trailed down from there, skating down across his chest until they reached his stomach. There, Jeremy flattened his palm against his abdomen, and then continued his path down to cup Alfredo's dick through his underwear. Just the journey had already sent sparks of want skittering across Alfredo's nerves, so when Jeremy pressed his first and second fingers against his dick in a deliciously slow curl, Alfredo saw stars.

“Jeremy,” he gasped, rocking up into his touch. “Holy shit.”

Rather than reply, Jeremy simply dragged his underwear against his dick again, pulling another moan out of Alfredo. It was all so slow and teasing, but just enough to have Alfredo straining against the tie, chasing more of Jeremy’s touch. 

And then Jeremy pressed his weight down on Alfredo’s upper thighs, pinning his hips down to the bed. A shiver of delight ran up Alfredo's spine.

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Is this okay?”

“Yes, absolutely, it’s perfect.” Alfredo bit the inside of his cheek to stop the flood of ‘yes’ that wanted to follow. “You?”

“Fuck, yeah, man.” Jeremy puffed out a little laugh. “Just trying to figure out where to take this. I’ve got some ideas.”

“Wh- what are they?” Alfredo tripped over his tongue; Jeremy pressed against him again in the middle of his question, and judging by his devious little smile, it had been completely on purpose. Smug bastard.

“Well…” Jeremy’s hand wandered away, much to Alfredo's disappointment, and instead drifted up to play with the waistband of his underwear. The ticklish nature of it had Alfredo wriggling a little, but also wishing he would move back south again. “Would you be interested if I got a vibrator out?”

Oh, that was a fantastic idea. 

“Come here so I can kiss you,” Alfredo breathed, leaning forwards as much as he could; snickering, Jeremy came forwards to meet him for a peck. “Fuck _yes,_ you can get a vibe out.”

Jeremy reached over him to the bedside table, and in his haste he left the drawer open rather than actually close it up again once he’d grabbed the vibrator and lube. “Can I take your underwear off?”

“Sure.” Alfredo raised his hips as much as he could in invitation. “You’re welcome to take yours off too, if you want.”

Briefly, they paused - they rearranged themselves, removed underwear, and applied a little lube - but then they came together again, just as hungry as before. Alfredo didn’t even have to wait long; he heard a quiet click, and that was followed by a familiar low buzz that made Alfredo's fingers twitch in anticipation. Jeremy put his lips against Alfredo's jaw in a gentle kiss, and in the same breath, he trailed the vibrator from his hip and down to his dick.

Alfredo hummed in relief at the first pulse of pleasure. He had vibrators of his own, but he didn’t always use them when he jerked off, and there was just something wonderfully _different_ about someone else controlling one. When he used it himself, he knew what he was about to do; with Jeremy, all he could do was wait to see where he directed it next, or if he changed the strength, or if he simply took it away entirely. 

And, well, the end result was much more satisfying, too.

Jeremy propped himself up on his free arm next to Alfredo, giving himself more room to work with. Alfredo gladly spread his legs further apart for Jeremy, and he shivered when Jeremy let up on the pressure a little to return to teasing. It drew a whine from Alfredo’s throat, and he was so eager to have the vibrator back that he didn’t even notice it - though he saw Jeremy’s throat bob with a swallow from the corner of his eye. 

“Fuck,” Jeremy breathed, bringing the vibrator back down, brushing it along the underside of Alfredo's dick.

Alfredo would have agreed, but he was a little tongue tied. He writhed when Jeremy pressed harder again, kicking one of his feet out with a gasp. It just felt so _good,_ he couldn’t stay still. He needed to move, just to get his energy out, and to encourage Jeremy to keep going. He was surprisingly close already, and he didn’t want to stray too far from the edge.

Jeremy pressed hot kisses along his jaw, and Alfredo turned his head to find him, desperate to meet him. He moaned when his lips found Jeremy’s in an over-eager kiss; he was too wound up to be very coordinated, though Jeremy didn’t seem to mind.

“You close?” Jeremy murmured.

“Yeah,” Alfredo gasped. He rocked up into the vibrator again, only to choke back a moan when it hit _just_ the right spot. “Ah! Fuck, Jeremy, please-”

All it took was another harder press, and then Alfredo was gone. He cried out as he came, jerking hard against the vibrator as it continued to buzz against his dick. Jeremy held it there to draw out Alfredo's orgasm just a little bit longer, and he ended up tripping Alfredo over into a second just from how sensitive he was after the first. It left Alfredo shivering and gasping, quiet noises slipping out of him as the vibrator became too much.

“I’m good, I’m good,” he babbled, holding his hips back. “It’s a little too much now.”

Jeremy clicked the vibrator off, and then Alfredo found himself swept up in another hungry kiss. Alfredo felt lazily sated now, but he still _wanted_ \- specifically, he wanted to get Jeremy off, and he had a good idea how, too. 

“Fuck, you’re hot,” Jeremy murmured when they broke apart. “Holy shit, we’ve gotta do that again.”

“Definitely,” Alfredo chuckled. He stretched a little, seeming almost like a smug cat as he did; the look was only strengthened when he turned a sly little smile on Jeremy. “So, now that it’s your turn... “

“That sounds ominous as fuck,” Jeremy laughed. “I’m scared for my dick. What is it?”

“Well…” Alfredo raked his gaze down Jeremy’s body, taking in the gorgeous sight of him sprawled, naked, next to him. “I’d really, really like to blow you.”

Jeremy sucked in a sharp breath, and his eyes widened a little. “Shit, Alfredo, you can’t just say stuff like that. You’re gonna give me a heart attack.”

Alfredo grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes, it’s a yes, you asshole.” He kissed Alfredo again, quick and sweet, before resting his hand on Alfredo's wrists. “Do you want me to let you up?”

“Please.” His shoulders were starting to ache a little, and besides, Alfredo wanted to be able to settle down between Jeremy’s knees. 

Jeremy made quick work of releasing him, and once the tie had fallen to the side, Alfredo surged up to kiss him, playfully bowling him back onto the mattress as he did. They ended up laughing as they shifted to get Jeremy resting back against the pillows, and a different kind of warmth settled in Alfredo's chest, taking up residence next to his heart. He wanted more of this, more giggling with Jeremy in the middle of sex, more making him laugh whenever he had the chance.

But, for now, he wanted to make Jeremy speechless.

Once Jeremy was comfortable, Alfredo started pressing a trail of kisses down one side of his hips while his hand settled on the other to simply hold. He wished he had the patience to tease Jeremy more, but the second that Jeremy weaved his fingers into Alfredo's hair, he knew he was a goner.

Jeremy was already soaked just from getting Alfredo off, and the thought of that was almost enough to get Alfredo going again. He closed his eyes as he wrapped his lips around the head of Jeremy’s dick, humming in quiet pleasure when Jeremy’s hold on his hair tightened. It pulled a little, but Alfredo didn’t mind; it was a pleasant, tingly reminder of Jeremy’s enjoyment. He groaned above him, tugging again gently as Alfredo rubbed his tongue against the underside of his dick, teasing his way up to the head again.

His reward was the jerky movement of Jeremy’s hips as he resisted the urge to fuck into his mouth. That was exactly what Alfredo was after, though, so he squeezed Jeremy’s hips in encouragement as he sucked harder, trying to coax him into moving. 

“Fuck, Alfredo,” Jeremy hissed, the words whistling out from between his teeth. He took the invitation, rolling up into Alfredo's mouth; Alfredo hummed, pleased, and Jeremy echoed it seconds later as he kept up the pace, grinding against Alfredo's tongue.

“Shit,” he gasped, and seconds later, Jeremy’s shoulders hunched as he groaned through gritted teeth. Slick rushed over Alfredo's tongue, and he eagerly swallowed, lapping up the mess Jeremy made without hesitation. Jeremy’s fingers flexed in his hair, tensing and then relaxing, and once his orgasm had waned and it was all too much, he gently guided Alfredo away from his dick.

Alfredo used Jeremy’s thigh as a pillow so he could look up at him. There was a delicious flush over Jeremy’s cheeks and nose, and he panted in an effort to steady himself. Best of all, though, was the delicate smile on Jeremy’s lips, and the way he laughed breathlessly. “Jesus, 'Fredo,” he said. 

“That was fun.” Alfredo grinned, pleased with himself. “I’d definitely like to do that again.”

“I’ve gotta get you back for that first.” Jeremy started to run his fingers through Alfredo's hair, sweeping it back from his forehead; Alfredo could have easily rested there, given enough time to drift off, but Jeremy drew his attention again with a tap on the nose. “Hey. Come up here.”

Grunting, Alfredo pushed himself up, but it was worth it: Jeremy tugged him in close for a kiss, much gentler and sweeter than their previous ones, and Alfredo melted back into the pillows with Jeremy, content to lose himself in this all over again.

* * *

They waited a few months more, and then finally decided it was time to tell the rest of the office, if only to stop Michael from shooting them suspicious stares every time they interacted around him. That, and Alfredo just wanted to be able to take Jeremy out for lunch, or squeeze his shoulder as he passed by his desk.

There was no real perfect opportunity, though. The best they had was, at last, another of Michael’s game nights: he had invited all of the main office this time in a little get together before Christmas. 

When Alfredo and Jeremy arrived, it quickly became apparent that ‘game night’ wasn’t exactly accurate. ‘Small party’ was more like it; there was music, alcohol, and finger food left out on the coffee table. Nobody was dancing quite yet, but Alfredo spotted a beer in Jack’s hands, and he could see Gavin popping open his own across the living room. Somewhere, distantly, Alfredo could hear Trevor and Fiona, but he couldn’t see them - he could only assume that they were in the kitchen, getting more drinks or food, or just generally fucking around. While it wasn’t technically a Christmas gathering, Michael had done his decorating anyway, and there was a smattering of tinsel and lights around, and there was even a few sprigs of mistletoe in the doorways. 

A cheer went up when he and Jeremy stepped inside, full of a mix of their nicknames. Despite his surprise at the gathering, Alfredo ended up smiling and laughing anyway as a coke was pressed into his hands. He quickly lost sight of Jeremy as he was pulled away by a giggling Gavin, and he ended up gravitating towards Geoff and Jack rather than join the chaos just yet.

“Hey,” he said; he received a low chorus of greetings in return from the both of them. “I didn’t realise it was gonna be like... this.”

“Me neither,” Geoff said, chuckling. “Michael’s a sneaky little asshole. You give Jeremy a ride again?”

“Yeah.” They had met up anyway; Alfredo barely managed to stop the information from spilling out. “So, are we actually gonna be playing any games, or…?”

“I heard Michael say something about _Jackbox_ earlier,” Jack said, shrugging a shoulder. “We can probably try to get that going soon. I think we were waiting on you two to arrive before we got things started, just so you didn’t miss out.”

That was oddly sweet. “Aw, thanks.” 

“Don’t thank me yet, I think Michael just wanted an opportunity to tease as many people as possible,” Jack chuckled. “Well, I’m gonna go grab a seat before everyone else takes the couch. You guys wanna join me?”

“Absolutely. I refuse to be forced onto a dining chair like last year,” Geoff grumbled. He made his way ahead of Jack, just so he could claim the prime spot in the middle. 

“You coming?” Jack asked, raising an eyebrow at Alfredo.

“In a minute,” he said, “I’m gonna say hi to everyone else first.”

He did indeed find Trevor and Fiona in the kitchen, juggling bottles to carry through to the living room. “Hey, 'Fredo!” Fiona crowed, waving at him from underneath her armfuls of beer. “When did you get here?”

“Only around ten minutes ago,” Alfredo said. “Do you guys want a hand?”

“Please,” Trevor groaned, dumping some of the drinks on Alfredo in an instant. “Fiona didn’t wanna make a second trip.”

“Because, _Trevor,_ we can make it in one! Why make it take longer before we start playing-”

“I don’t wanna drop anything!”

“You wouldn’t have _dropped_ anything, it’s, like, two feet-”

“It’s a little more than two feet-”

Rather than get involved, Alfredo ducked out of the kitchen again quickly with his cargo. He made his way back to the living room, where more people had assembled now, including Jeremy. Alfredo sat down next to him with a sigh, still holding his crate of beer, and offered Jeremy one with a raised eyebrow. “Drink?”

Jeremy burst into laughter as he took one. “Sure. How come you ended up with all of this?”

“Fiona and Trevor,” Alfredo answered, leaning forwards to set the crate down on the table. Michael immediately grabbed one, then turned back to the TV, where he was setting up his Xbox. “So, Jackbox?”

“Looks like it,” Jeremy said, bumping his knee against Alfredo's. And then, quieter, he added, “Oh, and, uh… did you want to, you know… tell everyone?”

“Tell everyone what?” Geoff chimed in, leaning towards them from the other couch. “What’re you guys hiding?”

Out of the corner of his eye, Alfredo saw Michael’s head snap up towards them. If he’d heard, it was too late; he could tell that the cogs were turning in Michael’s brain as he started to put the answer together. So, sighing, Alfredo draped his arm around Jeremy’s shoulders, turned to Geoff, and said, “We’re dating. Have been for the last few months.”

“I fucking knew it!” Michael shouted, jumping up onto his feet. “I called it!”

“Only because I told you I liked him!” Jeremy shot back, pointing at him.

Alfredo twisted in his seat to face Jeremy. “You told him you liked me?”

He watched Jeremy’s cheeks turn pink. “Look, it just came out one day, okay? And then you asked me out anyway, so…”

“Congrats, you fuckers,” Geoff said, grinning at them. “Took you guys long enough to tell us, though.”

Alfredo frowned. “What?”

Jack, barely stifling his snickers, said, “We’ve known for weeks, Alfredo. You guys weren’t exactly subtle about it, you know.”

Jeremy rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward little laugh. “Uh… whoops?”

“It’s fine, it was funny to see you two try to sneak around anyway,” Geoff laughed, waving a hand. “Jesus, Jeremy, you really are oblivious sometimes. Don’t expect us to go easy on you two in _Jackbox,_ though.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Alfredo pulled his phone out of his pocket, ready to play. First, though, he winked at Jeremy. “So, Battle Buddies alliance to win?”

Jeremy grinned as he punched in the room code. “Oh, you’re on.”

* * *

Alfredo knew exactly three things.

1: He was head over heels for a certain Mr. Dooley.

2: Jeremy knew exactly how he felt about him.

3: _Everyone else in the office had known the entire time._


End file.
